Rajiv Gandhi University– From Inception to Scholastic Distinction
On 9th April, 2007, this university was renamed as Rajiv Gandhi University with a Central University status.
ITANAGAR- Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh is observing its 39th foundation day on 4th February, 2022. 38th years ago, on the same day in 1984, the foundation stone of erstwhile Arunachal University (present Rajiv Gandhi University) was laid by the then Prime Minister of India Late Smti. Indira Gandhi. On 9th April, 2007, this university was renamed as Rajiv Gandhi University with a Central University status.
Prof. C.L. Anand appointed in 1987 was the first Vice-Chancellor of the university. In 1992 Mr. Madan Jha, IAS and in 1993 Mr. Raghunathan IAS were acting Vice Chancellors. In 1993, Prof. A.C. Bagabati was appointed as a full time Vice-Chancellor. Thereafter, in 1999 Dr. K.K. Dwivedi, in 2003 Prof. Atul Sarma, in 2006 Prof S.C. Saha, in 2007 Prof. K.C.Belliappa, in 2011 Prof. David R. Syiemlieh, and in 2012 Prof. Tamo Mibang were appointed as the full time Vice Chancellors. Currently, Prof. Saket Kushwaha is serving as the Seventeenth Vice-chancellor of this university. Mr. Madan Jha was the first Pro Vice Chancellor (PVC) who served from 1992 to 1993. Prof. Amitava Mitra is the fifth PVC serving since 2019. Shri A P Srivastava was the first Registrar of this University who served from 1985 till 1988. Dr. Joram Begi and Dr. Tai Nyori also contributed much in making this University. Dr. Begi served this university as a Registrar for ten years. Dr. Tai Nyori served this university as Controller of Examinations for seventeen years and as a Registrar for six years. Dr. N T Rikam is the present Registrar of Rajiv Gandhi University serving since 2020.
The University started its academic journey in the year 1988 with 48 students, 18 faculty members, and three departments namely history, Political science and Education. B.Ed. was started in the current campus whereas post graduate programmes in History and Political Science initiated at Jawaharlal Nehru College (JNC) Pasighat. Currently University offers Post Graduate and Graduate programmes in Thirty Three Courses conducted through thirty departments, two institutes and one centre. Additionally, Diploma and Certificate Courses are offered in nine subjects. Rajiv Gandhi University is also offering graduate, post graduate and many certificate courses through distance education.
There has been exponential growth in the number of students over the years. Currently, a total of 2634 students are enrolled with the University. The numbers of students in undergraduate courses currently stands as 558 out of which 254 are female and 304 male students. In post graduate programme 2076 students are currently enrolled comprising 1101 female and 975 male students. Currently, a total of 81 female PhD scholars and 94 male scholars are registered with the University. So far nearly five hundred PhD degrees have been awarded by the University whereas those of MPhil Degrees stand close to six hundred. Currently the University has more than 200 full time teaching faculties. Also the university has 205 administrative and other non-teaching full time staff. Presently university has about forty five affiliated colleges nearly half of which are government colleges and one government medical college (TRIHMS).
Currently the University library has 74,500 numbers of books. Apart from the printed books, the University Library also has 12700 numbers of e-books in total which are perpetual access in nature. 462 Ph.D. theses have been uploaded under ETD Shodhganga Project till the date also. The University Library has subscribed I-Thenticate (Turnitin) –Anti –plagiarism software in the year-2021 from the session 2020-21. This year, Rajiv Gandhi University, Central Library has also started the IR (Institutional Repository) inaugurated its portal (http://rguir.inflibnet.ac.in) on 20th. May 2021. 7066 number of e-books have been already uploaded in the Institutional Repository. Besides, the library has subscribed IEEE CSDL for its users in the current academic session.
Rajiv Gandhi University has more than a dozen students’ hostels with a capacity to accommodate nearly sixty per cent of its students as on date. Nearly a dozen buses of the university ply everyday on fixed schedule to facilitate smooth transportation of students and staff. Currently University has two senior medical officers two nurses one pharmacists and one health assistant and three MPW staff serving in its health centre which has three beds for emergency service. To promote and protect the rights of women and human rights of the Minorities University has a proactive anti-sexual harassment committee and minority cell respectively which organizes awareness programmes for different stakeholders and takes remedial measures. University has upgraded its basic infrastructure in due course of time and currently has eleven bore-wells functioning with full capacity and also 250 kilowatts 3DG sets to serve the emergency electric requirements. Additionally University has eight roof top solar power plants instituted by Arunachal Energy Development Agency (APEDA). University has hundred of trees planted in last few years. Also there is a complete ban on cutting of trees and bird hunting in the campus. Last year, Rajiv Gandhi University Campus has been declared a full plastic free zone.
Keeping in view the educational needs of the State, the University has opened ten new departments including the Departments of Agricultural Sciences and Department of Physical Education. The Faculty of Sports Sciences has been established under the aegis of the Ministry of Sports with five Departments comprising twenty-five posts. In its academic expansion the University is planning to open three more extension campuses in the State. The University received financial support of Rs. 10 Crore from Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India under PURSE 2021 Programme. The university is assigned by the Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh to document the Unsung Heroes of Arunachal Pradesh who fought against British invasion. The University is part of Consortium of Himalayan Central Universities on five major themes funded by UGC Stride supported by NITI Aayog. This year the University is partnering with the State Government for celebrating the golden jubilee of the State’s foundation and the naming as ‘Arunachal Pradesh’. Presently, the University is celebrating the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ with a series of well planned programmes and events, in a befitting manner. In the light of COVID-19, the university has provided laptops to faculty members enabling them for quality uninterrupted on-line teaching and academic activities. 29 new faculty members have been recruited during the year 2021. 69 faculty members have been promoted under CAS at different level. A Draft Recruitment Rule is ready to lay in the Executive Council for seeking positions from UGC for non-academic positions. Document of Cadre positions roster is prepared and the remaining vacant positions will be advertised soon. The pension issue of the University employees has been taken positively by UGC to resolve in time bound manner with Ministry of Education. Smart class room facility has been provided to all the departments. This year nearly half a dozen faculty members of the university have successfully got registered for their patents. The University for its Academic Expansion has entered MoU with several institutions. The University is also in the process of expanding its campuses in three locations for the benefit of students.
Continuing our glorious tradition of adhering with University Calendar Year after year Rajiv Gnadhi University has successfully organised its 19th convocation on fixed date i.e. 30th November 2021 in blended mode. Number of university faculty members have been awarded with prestigious Fellowships and research grants by national and international agencies. RGU, the easternmost located central university has kept behind many central universities in the race of academic achievement. It has bagged the 2nd Rank in the Country among the universities as per rating of the University Grant Commission and the Ministry of Education. Based on the performance of the Universities during Covid-19 pandemic period, RGU has been rated best University among the Himalayan Universities. RGU Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies (AITS) inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with State Research Directorate for extensive heritage documentation and to formulate a State Culture Policy (SCP) on 16th Oct., 2020, one of few such moves in the country. The Directorate of Youth Affairs, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh has constituted a Drafting Committee for examining State Youth Policy of Arunachal Pradesh taking into account the National Education Policy 2020 as well as latest Youth Policy of Govt. of India and other states.
Most of the major traditional festivals of the state along with the festivals of the country are celebrated in the campus by the students and employees. University Festival, University Panorama and Inter-College Youth Festival are organized, where along with the games and sports, the culture of the tribes are displayed including, house pattern, traditional attire and traditional food, folk song and dances.
The Good Practices of RGU are; the convocation, admission, examination, declaration of examination results are done according to calendar. With this, positive mind and hard work, RGU would move further towards the academic excellence. Though RGU is a central university, the state government of Arunachal Pradesh has also contributed much in developing the university in terms infrastructural support. His Excellency, the Hon’ble Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Brig. (Retd.) Dr. B.D. Mishra is the Chief Rector who keeps interacting with RGU fraternity on regular basis in the best interest of the students and long term development of the institution.
In the dynamic and visionary leadership of the current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Saket Kushwaha, Rajiv Gandhi University has assiduously maintained its scholastic distinction as a result of which in 2020, Rajiv Gandhi University secured the second position in the ranking of Central Universities of the country with a score of 83%. It is heartening that the University has continued with its academic commitments and quality education even during the difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rajiv Gandhi University is creditably matching the new trends in the field of higher education to enable the aspiring students keep abreast with their fellow students across the Nation.
